Tips for Bridesmaids Gifts on a Budget

After booking the venue, finding your dress, and choosing your caterer, bridesmaids’ gifts can be an afterthought. But if you want to find something unique and frugal, you’ll need time to shop around and find something special.

If you’re looking to buy gifts for your best friends without breaking the bank, read these tips for bridesmaids’ gifts on a budget.

Do It Yourself

Before my wedding, I signed up for a sewing class, where we learned to make small zipper pouches. I decided I would ask my maids what their favorite pattern and color was and then make them each a bag based on their preferences.

They were a simple gift, but they showed that I cared about what they liked. I loved picking out fabric for them, and making the bags allowed me to keep practicing my newfound skills.

If you have any special talents, like making jam or beading necklaces, you can use those skills to make your friends a gift they can’t get anywhere else.

Build a Care Package

In the bags I made my friends, I added things like Aspirin, band-aids, hair ties, safety pins, antibacterial lotion, and more. Since most of them were out of town, I wanted to give them a kit they could use during the weekend and beyond.

Every girl needs a bag full of some much-needed goodies to help them through a weekend of drinking, dancing, and socializing.

Give them Stress Relievers

One fellow bride decided to give her bridesmaids some gifts to help them get through a stressful wedding weekend. She included eye masks, essential oils, and mala beads.

You can also include bath salts, body lotion, and sweet-smelling candles. Asking your girls what their favorite scents are can ensure that your gifts don’t end up in the trash. Other ideas include fresh flowers or succulents, local tea blends, or even a bottle of wine.

Treat It As If It’s Her Birthday

If you’re having trouble finding gift ideas that work for everyone, treat your bridesmaids as individuals. Assign a price limit and think about what you’d get each girl if it was her birthday or Christmas. That way, you can spend the same amount but tailor each gift for each particular friend. In general, Etsy is a fabulous resource for thoughtful gifts!

This is helpful if you have friends that have wildly different personalities and you don’t want to offend anyone with your gift.

Bottom Line

Whatever you decide to give your friends, make sure that you run it past some people you know. The worst thing is to give something that only you would appreciate (like necklaces they can only wear during the wedding or makeup that doesn’t fit their style).

One thing that can be fun is to include a small sentimental gift. I bought used copies of movies that my maids and I used to watch together. That way, it was a fun reminder of the great times we had together, but I didn’t blow my gift budget.

You can also include a hand-written special card in each gift, reminding each girl why you chose her to stand up with you.